Plastic foldable storage device

ABSTRACT

The plastic foldable storage device is made from hollow and comb-shaped plastic plates, and includes a rectangular base plate, two first side plates extended respectively from two shorter edges of the base plate, and two second side plates extended respectively from two longer edges of the base plate. The first and second side plates are edge-to-edge joined by joining strips. Each first side plate has two folding lines along its inner surface. The first and second side plates, through the joining strips and the folding lines, are selectively folded into a level positon resting on the base plate or unfolded into an upright position to form a storage space with the base plate. The plastic foldable storage device therefore provides convenient use and storage, while offering additional advantages such as repeated usage, moisture proof, and robustness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (A) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally related to storage devices, and moreparticular to a foldable plastic storage device.

(B) Description of the Prior Art

The delivery of commodities is of major concern to commoditymanufacturers. Before the commodities are shipped out, their packageshave to ready in advance and, as such, may take up significant storagespace. Conventionally, commodities are packaged using paper-based boxesor containers as they are light-weighted, and may be collapsed for easystorages. However, these paper-based storage devices are susceptible tomoisture, bugs, and impact. Usually some special treatment has to beconducted so that the paper-based storage devices are better moistureand impact proof and the stored community may be reliably protected,especially for delicate electronic products or cosmetics, whichinevitably increases their cost. Furthermore, the paper-based storagedevice, once used, is difficult to be used again. This lack ofreusability not only increases cost but also is not environmentallyfriendly. Therefore, there are plastic storage devices that may be putto repeated use. However, these plastic storage devices usually are notcollapsible and take up a significant space for their storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To obviate the above-described shortcomings, a plastic foldable storagedevice is disclosed. The plastic foldable storage device is made fromhollow and comb-shaped plastic plates, and includes a rectangular baseplate, two first side plates extended respectively from two shorteredges of the base plate, and two second side plates extendedrespectively from two longer edges of the base plate. The first andsecond side plates are edge-to-edge joined by joining strips. Each firstside plate has two folding lines along its inner surface extendingobliquely from a lower corner to an upper edge of the first side plate.Each second side plate has two notches respectively at two upper cornersof the second side plate for conveniently and selectively flipping orfolding the side plates into an upright position to form a storage spacewith the base plate, or into a level positon resting on the base plate.The plastic foldable storage device therefore provides convenient useand storage, while offering additional advantages such as repeatedusage, moisture proof, and robustness.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introductionto the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects ofthe present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detaileddescription of the invention and the claims should be read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specificationand drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similarparts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will becomemanifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to thedetailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which apreferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of thepresent invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing a foldable plastic storagedevice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the foldable plastic storagedevice of FIG. 1 when it is collapsed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing a number of the foldable plasticstorage devices of FIG. 1 stacked after they are collapsed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are notintended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of theinvention in any way. Rather, the following description provides aconvenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made inthe function and arrangement of the elements described without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , a foldable plastic storage device 10according to an embodiment of the present invention is made fromplastic, comb-shaped plates. The foldable plastic storage device 10includes a rectangular base plate 11, a pair of first side plates 14extended respectively from two shorter edges of the base plate 11, and apair of second side plates 16 extended respectively from two longeredges of the base plate 11. The base plate 11 and the first and secondside plates 14 and 16 are integrally formed with pre-configured firstfolding lines 12 between the base plate 11 and the first and second sideplates 14 and 16. The first and second side plates 14 and 16 are foldedinto an upright position to form a hollow and top-opening storage space.Two thin connection pieces 141 are respectively extended from thelateral sides of the first side plates 14. The first and second sideplates 14 and 16 are then edge-to-edge joined by high-frequency weldingor hot pressing the connection pieces 141 to form joining strips 13in-between. Each first side plate 14 has two second folding lines 15along its inner surface, each obliquely extending from a lower corner toan upper edge of the first side plate 14. As such, the two upper cornersof the first side plates 14 may be folded inward towards the base plate11. As such, the first and second side plates 14 and 16 may turn fromtheir upright position into a level positon resting on the base plate11. Each second side plate 16 has two notches 17 respectively at its twoupper corners immediately adjacent to the first side plates 14. Thenotches 17 allows automatic assembly where the second side plates 16 maybe lifted by their notches 17 from their level position and, along withthe first side plates 15, into the upright position. As described above,when the foldable plastic storage device 10 is not in use, the firstside plates 14, along with the second side plates 16, may be collapsedand lie flat on the base plate 11. As the foldable plastic storagedevice 10 is collapsed into a flat object, it has a much reduceddimension and may be stacked for convenient storage. A cap device (notshown) may be structured similarly whose side plates are of a lowerheight. The opening top of the plastic foldable storage device 10 thencan be sealed by the cap device. The plastic plates provide effectiveand moisture proof, and anti-deformation. Their smooth surface is alsoconvenient for adhering and peeling off labels.

The gist of the present invention lies in the use of plastic,comb-shaped plates, the thin joining strips 13 for connecting the sideplates, and the symmetrical folding lines 15 on the shorter first sideplates 14. As such, the longer second side plates 16, through thejoining strips 13 and the folding lines 15, may be folded onto the baseplate 11, significantly reducing the dimension of the plastic storagedevice 10 similar to that of paper-based storage devices. The notches 17of the second side plates 16 adjacent to the first side plates 14facilitate the unfolding of the plastic foldable storage device 10 andits packaging commodities.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown anddescribed and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intendedto be limited to the details above, since it will be understood thatvarious omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the formsand details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be madeby those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claimsof the present invention.

I claim:
 1. A plastic foldable storage device, comprising: a rectangularbase plate; two first side plates extended respectively from two shorteredges of the base plate; and two second side plates extendedrespectively from two longer edges of the base plate; wherein the firstand second side plates are edge-to-edge joined together by joiningstrips; each first side plate has two folding lines along its innersurface; and the first and second side plates, through the joiningstrips and the folding lines, are selectively folded into a levelpositon resting on the base plate or unfolded into an upright positionto form a storage space with the base plate.
 2. The plastic foldablestorage device according to claim 1, wherein each second side plate hastwo notches respectively at two upper corners of the second side plate.3. The plastic foldable storage device according to claim 1, whereineach folding line extends obliquely from a lower corner to an upper edgeof the first side plate.
 4. The plastic foldable storage deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the joining strips are formed from twothin connection pieces respectively extended from lateral sides of eachfirst side plate.